Valverde's Barca cruised through the group stage, going unbeaten with 14 points from six games to finish ahead of Juventus, whereas the reigning Premier League champions made harder work of their passage and came second to Roma.

Chelsea were arguably one of the tougher sides Barca could have been paired with, but Valverde feels it is a tie which will excite supporters.

"Tactically, they're very good and also very physical," Valverde told Barca TV.

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"With Morata, they have speed in attack and Hazard is very good between the lines.They're a strong team.

"It's a hard draw for us, but we knew that nothing was going to be easy because there were very good teams in the draw.

"Chelsea are the champions of the Premier League, but we will play with enthusiasm because, although it will be difficult, it's a very nice tie for us and for the supporters. In that aspect, it's easy to motivate the players."